An Unwelcome Encounter
by Lady LolaBert
Summary: James BondVM crossover. An extremely AU ficpiece wherein Veronica is adopted and meets her real father for the first time, thereby setting off a series of events that'll irrevocably change the life of our heroine.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This has been something that has been bugging me forever, insistently there in the back of my mind, whining in a tiny voice to be written. This fic idea came to me after watching 'Casino Royale' at the movies, then coming home and watching 'Veronica Mars' and falling asleep afterwards. The next day, I woke up, remembering a dream/cross-over of sorts that has been annoying me ever since. And this is it.

**The Situation: **The events here are set after _'Donut Run'_ but I know it contains a scene from _'Ahoy Mateys'_ This really isn't supposed to be taken seriously within the Veronica Mars canon-verse, as a real suspension of belief is required for me to justify this fic. So in this crazy AU of mine, Veronica is actually adopted and has known this all her life.

"A gun, Logan?! A GUN? What are you doing with a gun? You're gonna get yourself killed, don't you understand that?" Veronica nearly screams, crying hysterically.

"Look, it's...look, it's not even loaded."

"Oh, I feel so much better." She says as she furiously wipes the tears from her face.

"Dick's dad gave it to me. He said given my situation..." Logan tries to reassure her, putting the unloaded-gun in the glove compartment.

The sheer insanity and horror of what she had just witnessed causes her to snap at Logan – for saving her life no less. She understands that, but at this moment, she just doesn't care.

"Given your situation, you should just move out of Neptune."

She gets out of the car, but not before Logan comes back with some annoying rejoinder.

"Yeah, well, no can do" indicating his ankle tag.

Veronica slams the door to his XTerra and runs across the road to the Mars Investigations office. This day can only get better, she consoles herself grimly.  
**  
**As she walks up the stairs, Veronica tries to compose herself so as to not let too much slip in front of her dad. She highly doubts that he would approve of her going to a Fitzpatrick's owned bar, much less threatened with being a life-long billboard for Lucky Charms. No, with everything that had happened recently with Duncan, she has to tread carefully to prove that her father can still trust her.

Making her way to her desk, Veronica sits down, quietly wiping away any residual tears as she hears voices behind the closed door of her dad's office.

The voices suddenly stop and the office door opens as Keith sticks his head out.

"Difficult day at school honey?"

Veronica laughs humourlessly "Algebra II and I just aren't getting along quite as well as we had liked." She indicates towards Keith's office "Shiny new case?"

Keith's expression becomes inscrutable for a moment. "Veronica, you know that you are adopted. Your mother and I have never kept that secret from you"

Veronica feels her stomach tighten. She has had enough of parental issues lately, enough to last a lifetime at the very least. "Yes" she confirms warily.

Keith cannot find the right words to break it to his daughter. "Well, your biological dad has made contact."

"Oh" Veronica's eyes wander over towards their new 'client' behind the office door.

"Veronica, meet your biological father" Keith opens the door wider to allow him through.

"Hello Veronica. It's very nice to see you"

Credits

"Sooo you're my dad" Veronica finds herself somewhat struck speechless, a state that is highly uncommon for her.

He smiles slightly. "Yes, my name is James Bond"

"You're British"

"And you're very observant." It isn't stated meanly.

"Well, yeah, it comes with working as a P.I.'s assistant and everything" Veronica breezes back. Keith shoots her a warning glance. However, before the next pause got too uncomfortable, James offers a 'get-to-know' each other of sorts that night over dinner if Veronica hasn't too much homework.

Veronica looks at Keith before accepting.

"How does seven o'clock at 'The Mirabelle' sound?"

"Sounds perfect" Veronica smiles sunnily.

"Then I'll see you then Veronica. Mr. Mars." He leaves.

Father and daughter wait until his footsteps recede before Veronica bursts out.

"What was that?"

"That was your father honey, and I should expect you to show a bit more respect."

"So when should the respect come along, before or after he gives me the eighteen years worth of birthday and Christmas presents? I'm still waiting for Sugarplum. You know my pony?"

"He just wants to get to know you, you can at the very least give him a chance. You are going to that dinner tonight."

"Yes" Veronica sighs wearily. "Of course I will. Wouldn't want to miss out on the chance on winning the 'Awkwardest Dinner Conversation' award" she mutters to herself as Keith goes back into his office.

Ms Hauser's tedious essay on the 'Risks of Pregnancy' can be left off for another day. She is going to have dinner that night with her biological dad, someone she has never seen before in her life; she has enough on her mind without thinking and writing an essay on the effects a gestating foetus will have on her mornings. Veronica gets herself ready for the night and was out the door when Keith pulls her in for a hug.

"Don't worry dad. No matter how many ponies he wants to give me, I'll be home tonight."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"I know."

Veronica does not want to be early, so she takes it easy as she drives to the restaurant.

_The Mirabelle. One of Neptune's swankiest joints. Favoured watering-hole of the rich and, well richer of Neptune's nobility. Daddy dearest must really be raking in the big bucks or trying to impress his darling daughter._

Veronica pulls up in front of the restaurant and hands her keys to the valet. She is rather unused to this kind of pretentious service and wonders what it would be like if she hadn't been adopted out and whether she would have grown up, accustomed to being waited on.

_And to become the quintessential 09er like Madison Sinclair? I'll take the 'have-not' life thanks._

She walks up to the maitre d and says that she is meeting a James Bond. The smiling man walks her to her table where he is there waiting for her. The maitre d hangs around for a moment longer, as if expecting something. Veronica takes a glance at James who has stood up for her and looks at her coat. Smiling slightly to cover her faux pas, Veronica takes off her long black coat and hands it to the maitre d, who takes it away with him politely and makes himself scarce. Just as Veronica and James seat themselves down, a dozen (or so it seems) waiters appear out of nowhere to pull out her chair, fill up a glass of wine for her and some other things that are obscured from Veronica's view.

"I hope you didn't mind that I already ordered us some wine"

"No problem at all. Although, the fact that I am still only eighteen might be a bit of a problem."

"But you're here with a parental guardian. So I'm sure it'll be fine." He smiles at her in a less that 'parental guardian-like' way that disconcerts her. She doesn't like the way that his gaze lingers on her for longer than she'd like.

"True" Veronica says and takes a sip of the red wine. She knows that she is drinking something that probably costs half of her college tuition but is unable to fully appreciate it other than it is sweet and palatable.

Fully focussing on him for the first time, she notes that he looks a little younger than her dad and wonders how young he was when she was born.

_Although all of these things do make sense, given the givens._

"Shall we order?" He says and takes a look at the menu.

Veronica is glad to have a chance to hide behind her menu. She is much more uncomfortable than she ought to be. But she hides it well and hopes to God that he can't see it.

They place their order with another one of the smiling faceless waiters, who takes their menus – and Veronica's temporary shield – away. She looks at them leave a little forlornly, while also avoiding James' gaze at her.

"So you're eighteen. Last year of school? Keith tells me that you are doing exceptionally well and in the running for a prestigious scholarship."

_He wants to ignore the giant pink elephant in the room and continue the conversation as if we had only been out of contact for a few weeks instead of all my life? Fine, I can play this game just as well as he can._

"I do as well as I can."

"Planning to go to college?"

"Planning to move as far away from Neptune as soon as the graduation ceremony is over."

"I take it you don't like it much here."

There is a hidden something in his words that Veronica, loyal – if adopted – daughter of Keith Mars, doesn't quite like.

She shrugs noncommittally.

"I was never much of a beach-goin' kind of gal." There is something in her tone that indicates this is most definitely not the reason. But no more will be said of the subject. He takes the hint and pauses before pouring her some more wine.

Their dinner appears and a few uncomfortable minutes are passed in silence as they both eat. Veronica, usually patient enough to wait for anything – leads, ideas, perpetrators – to come to her, can't take it anymore. Already on edge tonight, she is rattled enough to finally blurt out.

"Look, this is uncomfortable enough as it is. Why don't you just tell me exactly why you are here after all these years. Why have you sought to make contact? Why now?"

He seems unfazed by her outburst and instead studies her carefully for a moment, his sharp blue gaze met with Veronica's defiant stare. He takes a moment before replying, as if deciding how much he wants to – or should – tell her.

"I just want to get to know you," he says simply.

Veronica is left dumbstruck for a moment at all she was going to get from him.

"After eighteen years? Are you dying?" she asks bluntly. "What do you need a kidney or something?" she asks brazenly with a glint of tears in her eyes.

He chuckles lightly at this.

"I should hope not." He pauses again as if wondering once more how much to tell her.

"Eighteen years ago, when you were born, your mother and I did not feel as if we could look after you properly due to our work. It was then when we found Keith and Lianne who seemed like good people and ready to start a family, something that neither I, nor your mother, were ready for."

Veronica bit back a choke. Her dad knew the identity of her biological parents? All those years, he had said that her biological parents wished to remain anonymous and actively discouraged Veronica from ever investigating into it. It was one of the few things that Veronica and Keith held as promises together with no questions asked. But now to find that her dad knew and even met James?

James guesses some of her emotions that are playing behind her eyes. She keeps her emotions in check well, he observes gravely.

Veronica swallows her anger and compartmentalizes that emotion to be dissected later.

"And my mother? How did you two meet?"

James wonders whether he should just lie to her outright. Save her any more anguish than she already feels by inventing some sweet fairytale. But he sees the cynicism in her too-young eyes and decides for something of a mix. She can find out the real truth for herself if she wants to.

"Your mother and I met each while we were travelling. We met at a function that we both attended due to our work. We stayed together for as long as we could, but then our careers took us in different directions and we had to give you up. Neither of us were really quite the parental type, to tell you the truth." The bitter irony in his words is not lost on him.

"So I was, what, an accident in the lives of two high-flying businesspeople?"

He notices the barely imperceptible hurt in her voice. The truth often does that to people, but James must do this, if not tonight then when? He cannot avoid putting this off any longer anymore.

"Yes, to put it bluntly."

_Well-played, you son of a bitch, well-played indeed._

Veronica takes a deep breath and steadies herself. She hates herself for the tears that are beginning to collect in her eyes and tips her head slightly back, willing them with all her tenacity for them not to fall.

_And so the sordid origin of Veronica Mars takes an unexpected turn._

"Did you love her?"

James is taken aback by this question. He doesn't expect this and finds that he doesn't have an answer prepared.

"Yes. Very much. She was smart, strong, confident, and knew how to make me laugh," he says almost wistfully, lost in a happier memory from long ago.

"She was very beautiful and I am glad that you took after her more than me," he smiles at her.

Veronica looks up in surprise at this remark-bordering-on-inappropriate-compliment, but instantly covers it with a wary look in her eyes. Both of them have been studying the other since they first met. She notes his blonde hair and strong jaw line, somewhat like her own. His eyes are a bright blue while hers were a not-so-bright blue. Other than that, her nose holds a certain similarity to his, but that is where the resemblance ends.

He was taken aback when he first saw her outside of Keith's office, her eyes wet and with mascara slightly smudged. It was like seeing her again, but alive, much younger and yet with that same wise, sad look in her eyes. It affects him a little too deeply than he would have admitted to himself, to have old memories and feelings brought back up to the surface again by this Californian teenager who was an exact carbon copy of her mother. It scares him slightly that an eighteen year old can unsettle him like this. Tonight is going to be a lot more difficult than he had first imagined it.

She tries to smile back and regain a bit of distance from this rapidly unravelling situation, but is unsure whether she can make a joke about it. She doesn't think that they will ever have that easy camaraderie that she shares with her own father. Well, the whole time thing is a problem for a start. They are just too different and she finds his manners a little stifling.

He is unused to talking to women without wanting something more from them. So he attempts to use a cold politeness that he learnt from long ago.

"Where is she now?"

He clears his throat. He does not feel as if he is speaking to an eighteen year old. Her maturity astounds him; Keith really did raise her along both her biological and adopted fathers' lines of work- that of betrayal, deceit and the cynicism that comes with all that. It pains him to recognise this in her eyes, reflecting what he feels, knowing what he knows, seeing what he's seen and more importantly, doing what he has done.

"Veronica, your mother died a few years after you were adopted out in a horrible car accident."

_Ah, lying to your loved ones. Now THAT should be on our family crest, if nothing else._

Veronica expects nothing more than a lie. She accepts this without comment.

"That's a shame. I really wished I could have gotten to know her. Guess I don't have much luck in the maternal department seeing as my adopted mom is an alky and my biological mom in dead"

She is once again hiding behind her sarcasm and anger.

_Oh who cares, it's worked for so long now hasn't it?_

They finish their dinner and politely refuse the dessert menu. He offers it half-heartedly, but already knows the answer. Neither of them wants to prolong this night. He offers to pay and Veronica doesn't even bother to make a half-hearted attempt at refusing this. There is no way that she can afford her part of the night.

He walks her to her car and opens the door for her.

"Are you sure that you are okay to drive tonight?"

"I only had half a glass."

"But you're a minor."

"I know."

"Good night Veronica."

"Good night."

She drives off, leaving James to walk slowly back to his Aston Martin, contemplating how the night went.

_She didn't even ask for the name of her mother._

As Veronica drives home, her mind is lost in the tumultuous events of the night.

_So my real dad is some cold, expensive suit-wearing, polite, English son of a bitch who wants to re-connect with his long lost daughter after eighteen years. And my adopted dad (and mom I guess) lied to me my whole life about their knowledge of my biological parents. This has been a great night._

Pulling out her house keys, Veronica hears the TV on inside. It's half past nine and the nightly news is playing. She opens the door to find her dad lying asleep on the couch. Taking the control to switch it off she wakes the dozing Keith by asking -

"Dad, did Al Gore teach you nothing?"

"How was dinner?" he asks sleepily, slowly waking up and focusing on his daughter before him, studying her for any trace of distress. But she remains perfectly guarded as usual and Keith slowly finds it harder to read his daughter every day.

"Oh you know, chocolates, flowers, the usual. Although I did say no to the kiss at the door as you might have – or might not have – noticed."

"That's kind of gross Veronica."

"Yeah, I know. Dinner was… everything I expected it to be," she says, walking towards her room.

"You look tired. And you still have homework to do."

Veronica stops. She can only play the ignoring game once in the course of a night.

"You knew," she says without facing her father.

Keith knows exactly what she means. He should have told her all those years ago, but was promised not to reveal the identity of Veronica's parents by James and felt that he ought to honour that. He knows that this answer will not suffice, after all they had been through. But as eighteen years went by, Keith thought less and less about this and thought it better to keep Veronica in the dark on the subject of the identity of her biological parents. Besides, what could she gain from learning a name?

He sighs. "Yes I did. James made me promise never to reveal his identity to you."

All the night's anger and frustration boiled up within Veronica, causing her to turn violently and spit out.

"He made you promise? Why?"

Keith stood his ground but understood Veronica's anger. However, he could not keep his voice from being raised.

"I don't know Veronica. Your mother and I were just lucky enough to have you. We didn't ask too many questions at that time."

"And my biological mother? Who was she?"

"I don't know. We only had contact with your father"

Veronica feels her sudden fury ebbing away.

_So this is where the remnant of the Mars family has got to, has it? Neither of us trusting the other to tell the whole truth anymore. _

Both of them are too driven by what they each feel is right to even consider the other's feelings.

_Enough of the promise to dad about not investigating into my biological parents._

Keith starts as Veronica slams the door to her room after silently walking away. He lets her go. Just this once, hoping that it would not be the last time.

Veronica sits at her laptop that night, not working on Ms Hauser's essay, but on researching her parents.

_Four hours, two cups of coffee snuck from the kitchen and extensive neck pain later. Nada. Bupkiss. Nothing. It's like this guy doesn't even exist. And there is only one line of 'work' that would make someone untraceable. _

Veronica snaps her laptop shut and goes to bed.

"Veronica, some British guy in a suit wants to see you."

She is working at Java the Hut, on an un-busy Thursday night. Glad to stop cleaning the espresso machine but not enough to be grateful due to her guest, she unsmilingly walks to the front of the bar.

"Do you have a moment? After work I mean."

She nods silently. "I get off at eight. Do you know where the pier is?"

"I do."

"I'll see you there at eight thirty then."

Their exchange is cold, without any emotion. Veronica has completely closed herself off to him, and James is at a loss to remedy this.

She leaves to get back to work, pushing this encounter to the back of her mind, and uses the annoying customers at The Hut as a welcome distraction for the rest of the night.

The wind snaps at Veronica's long black coat and hair as she walks up to the pier and to the only tall, blond man standing there.

"Hello Veronica."

"Hi."

He doesn't bother with any small talk and gets right to the subject of their meeting.

"I won't be staying in town for much longer. I'm leaving tomorrow as a matter of fact."

She is hardly surprised at this, but allows him to continue uninterrupted.

"I was made aware of your situation by Keith and as I cannot offer you much in terms of a father, I was hoping to help you out, at least financially."

Veronica's eyes widen slightly, but she has been in the private investigation business too long not to suspect this. How many cases has she handled where the rich parents seek to find their adopted out child in order to pay for their college tuitions in order to stave off that nagging feeling in whatever heart they have?

He pushes an envelope towards her.

"There should be enough here to help you at any college you want to get into next year."

Veronica looks down at the offered envelope and slowly goes to take it. She instantly feels dirty about it and doesn't even look at the proffered amount. But she knows that it is practical to take it, even if it does shred her personal integrity to pieces.

"Thank you" she says confusedly, distracted at the way things are going.

"It has been a pleasure meeting you Veronica" he offers his hand to shake, but there is no way in hell Veronica is going to leave things like this.

"So that's it is it? Nice meeting you, I'll never see you again _dad_?"

"Veronica, you must understand, my work…"

She smiles and interrupts him. "So exactly what _work_ is it that you do? SIS, MI5, MI6?"

He stops, stone cold and for an instant his mask of indifferent politeness slips and Veronica sees something much more dangerous within him, something that he has kept leashed in until now and is suddenly afraid.

"You are a very smart girl Veronica."

"I have been called worse."

The tension between them lessens considerably as James laughs quietly.

"Good luck with everything Veronica."

"You too."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

He leaves her, standing in the near darkness, alone on the pier. She stands there, thinking slowly to herself.

She will see him again, and next time, she will have a lot more information on both him and her mother.

What do you think? The tense of the whole piece is a bit weird, I admit, as I keep on switching between past (the recollections) and present tenses. Anyways, I kinda dug the fact that I used Bond's first name instead of his last. Yeah, that's all I have to say. Also, sequel? Anyone? Bueller? If so, it'll probably involve some far-fetched Alias-type situations and the ongoing disintegration of Veronica's and Keith's relationship, something that I like writing about, but hope never to see on the show.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: '_Not Pictured'_ just aired over here in Australia and all I have to say is 'wow'. That was such an intense episode. Although S2 was no where near as good as S1, that was a killer ending (haha, lame pun intended). Although I do have problems with Cassidy's final scene with Veronica. Why did he just keep talking to her instead of putting a bullet into her head? Beaver's part was played so remorselessly that that scene just didn't ring true for me. Anyway, on with the show!

Veronica walks out of sixth period wearily, glad that this horrible day is finally over.

_Okay, truth be told, this day was no different to any other day at the lovely and stress-free place of institution that is Neptune High._

It is only two weeks until her finals and therefore only three weeks until graduation. For Veronica, the end cannot get here any sooner.

She reaches into her bag and fumbles around for her keys when she realises that her precious Le Baron was not in the student parking lot.

_Three weeks until grad and my baby just had to die on me. Great._

Furiously taking her hand out of her useless bag holding the keys to a car that was in the shop, she turns her steps towards the long queue for the bus.

"Veronica."

She hears her name being called not too far behind her and turns, about to fix whoever stupid enough to bother her with a trademark Veronica Mars Annoyed Stare. She is unable to say anything however when she see who has addressed her. It is her father, James Bond.

(Credits)

He sees her unconsciously tightening her jaw as she readjusts her bag and walks steadily towards him, her eyes locked onto his defiantly, not backing down.

"What are you doing here?" She asks when she gets close enough to him. He is dressed simply and as inconspicuously as someone in a high school parking lot can be, leaning on the hood of a silver Aston Martin.

"Do you need a lift?"

She narrows her eyes. She hates it when people don't answer her questions.

"Please, I need to talk to you." It wasn't a request, but more of a demand.

_This guy has never accepted a 'no' has he?_

She relents. "You're lucky that my Le Baron is in the shop today."

As they drive out of the carpark, Veronica tries to get down as low in her seat as possible, horribly aware that her fellow students could see her riding in the car of some rich, middle-aged man.

_Oh yes, Veronica Mars does have a taste for money. First Duncan, then Logan, what won't she do for wealth?_

He notices her discomfort but decides not to make a mention of it.

The first few moments are of painful silence. Neither one of them willing to speak up first. Veronica, although startled at first due to his sudden re-appearance, has now regained her calm and composure, something that she remembers not being able to do the last time they met.

_More like the first time._

However, _his _calm silence only works at slowly infuriating her. Why can't she just have normal parents like everyone else?

_Yeah, but what is 'normal' exactly?_

She recalls the Mannings and shivers unconsciously.

The silence stretches on longer.

It is James' job to face life-threatening situations on a daily basis. Then why was he reluctant to talk to this young woman? It had been two months since he last saw her and pushed a rather hefty cheque into her hand. A lot can happen in two months of a '00' agent's life.

"Veronica, I have come across some very disturbing information in the past few weeks."

She is glad that he is the one to break the silence this time, remembering that she was the one who had lost her cool the last time. Endless hours had been spent analysing their dinner together that night and conjecturing on the hidden meanings behind every look, motion or word.

"It seems that my making contact with you after all these years has put you in a place of danger."

Confused at this, Veronica turns her head sharply to regard her father. His face betrays nothing as his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, steadily looking at the road ahead.

"So, then, what are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you away from Neptune and into a new life."

Veronica's mouth opens in incredulity. He says this as if this were a done deal, that everything has been planned and that all she has to do is pack her bags.

"Excuse me?"

"It isn't safe here Veronica."

"And whose fault is that?" She is starting to get angry at the calm way that he is telling her that her life as she knew it is about to end. But there is no way that Veronica Mars was going to take this on the chin and obey readily.

She doesn't receive an answer from him to her question.

"Stop the car."

"Be reasonable Veronica."

"Reasonable? You're asking me to be reasonable when you're the one who is telling me that I have to leave my life behind me?"

"There's nothing for you here Veronica. You're planning to move after graduation and now that Duncan has left – "

"Wait. How the hell do you know about Duncan?" She is more panicked than angry at this. How did he find out about Duncan? What right did he have to pry into her private life?

_Nice irony there for someone who works as a PI._

"I know a lot more than you might think."

"Clearly."

He hits the brakes suddenly and the car screeches to a halt at the side of the freeway. The abrupt stop unnerves Veronica as she struggles to get her breath back and control the adrenaline that was coursing through her body.

James turns around to her, viper fast and whips his glasses off his face to fix her pointedly with his clear-blue eyes, leaning into her personal space.

"Stop acting like a child Veronica," he hisses in a deadly calm voice, the sudden change of his demeanour from cold aloofness to restrained fury frightening her.

"Your life is, right now, in danger and I do not have time to argue and placate you like a four year old."

"No, I guess you never had much practice in that department."

The pert remark is out of Veronica's mouth before she even realises it, making his eyes flash dangerously. The air prickles with a frightening tension and for a moment, Veronica is afraid that he might actually strike her. Her body tenses, but James, with considerable effort, breathes in slowly and closes his eyes. Composing himself, he leans back into his seat and begins to run his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated at the way things are going.

This is the first sign that something has clearly rattled James, a sign that Veronica finds oddly comforting – that her icy father is only human.

He doesn't look at her when he speaks. Instead he keeps his eyes closed and stays facing forward.

"You must understand that I am not a good person Veronica. And as a result of that, there are people in this world who would dearly like to seem me dead. And now they know of your existence."

Veronica backs down and takes a moment to digest this new piece of information.

He breathes in and out slowly. The fact that he has reacted in such an irrational and uncontrolled manner scares him more than the situation itself. This is the express purpose that has caused James to live his life the way he has – to avoid moments like these. It is these painful moments where his professional life meets his personal ones that chip away at his soul – leaving him as an empty broken shell. He avoids these as much as he can, to retain what is left of him. For longer than he could remember he has chosen to distance himself from others - stopped himself from loving, stopped himself from getting too close to people that he knew he would only hurt in the end. The last time that happened, the last time that he had actually let someone see the real him … she nearly killed him.

He schools his expression – as he has done many times before – before turning to look at her.

"I'm sorry."

The words, she knows, are sincere, and she knows what it has cost him to reveal all this to her.

But it's not good enough.

"Who are these people? Who are they working for? But more importantly, who or what are you?"

She is utterly merciless, yet needs to get the information straight from him.

"They're bad people Veronica. Bad and dangerous people."

Veronica struggles to stop from rolling her eyes at the way he is patronising her.

"So what, do I just up and leave? Pack an overnight bag and say goodbye to my dad and friends to start a new life in some foreign country as a Kate Jones? All because my biological dad decided on a whim, probably fuelled by some guilt ridden conscience or fleeting moment of altruism to contact his daughter after eighteen years?"

_Ah yes, the anger and sarcasm again. Infallible backups for Veronica Mars._

"Yes."

Veronica has to contain the ill-timed laughter that threatens to burst forth from her. The ridiculousness of the situation has not quite sunk in yet.

"Take me home."

"I understand that you need time to collect yourself – "

"Just take me home." She grits out and James winces at the hardness in her voice.

Unfortunately for both of them, they never reach the Mars' residence.

ooooooooooooooo

Veronica groggily opens her eyes to complete darkness. The panic threatens to settle in, but she tries to ignore it as much as possible. She tries to stave off the mounting fear to give herself enough time to figure out what has happened, before the fully fledged panic rises and engulfs her.

"She's awake."

Veronica's eyes are instantly exposed to a harsh white light, causing her to shut her eyes quickly. It takes an age before she can open them properly and adjust them to the brightness in her face. She struggles against the bonds that are restraining her wrists to the back of the chair.

_What have you gotten yourself into?_

Breathing shallow rapid breaths, Veronica starts to feel herself panicking irrationally. She doesn't like what is happening and wants to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

_Please wake up Veronica. Wake up and find yourself safe in your room. Please._

Unfortunately, her desperate plea to herself is not answered. She tries to recall back to what had happened before this moment.

_James was driving me home. A loud bang was heard. The car tilted upwards as if it were a toy propelled by the hand of a petulant child, sweeping away the object of his frustration. Pain. Voices. Darkness._

"What is your name?" A male voice sounds from somewhere above her in the darkness. His accent is foreign, and she can't quite place it.

"Veronica Mars," she whispers out in fear.

_What do they want with me? What have I done?_

"Veronica. A lovely name. I believe Bond named her himself."

This remark doesn't even penetrate the fog of fear that has clouded Veronica's brain.

Her interrogator walks into her view and crouches in front of her.

"Do not worry. We won't hurt you. We just want to talk to your father."

He is in his mid-forties and smells of cigars, brandy and wealth. His condescending tone rankles at Veronica who sets her jaw and manages to regain a little composure. However this is not enough to prepare herself for what was to come.

"Bring him in."

The door behind her opens and a loud struggle can be heard of someone being dragged in. That someone is then roughly pushed down onto a chair with his wrists bound behind him, mirroring Veronica.

She gasps and bites back a choke as tears start to brim at her eyes. James' face is bruised and bloody and showing signs of difficulty in breathing. They make eye contact for a moment. His eyes show a determined and pained demeanour while hers just reflect blind fear.

"Since you clearly have no regard for your own self Mr. Bond, we wondered whether you'd be so blasé in regards to your daughter."

The words don't register themselves in Veronica's brain when someone from behind her undoes one of the straps binding her wrist. She struggles, but is no match for her captor.

She watches, as if from some other perspective other than her own at a sharp, evil knife brought towards one of her fingers. She flinches as the cold metal bites into her skin and lets out a panicked scream at what is happening. She looks back at James, who until now has kept a grim silence. He locks his eyes onto hers and for a moment Veronica has no idea of what is happening.

She sees his mouth move, but doesn't hear the words that come out of it. The next thing she registers is a strong force to the side of her head and then blissful darkness.

oooooooooooooo

Her entire body feels sore. But it is her head that is giving her the most grief. Feeling as if someone had just pounded on her head for the past hour with a giant cartoon mallet, Veronica opens her eyes. She is in the back of a car. A car that is moving. She slowly sits up and sees that James is behind the wheel, travelling at a frightening speed.

"Get down Veronica," he orders, after glancing at her from the rear-view mirror.

She does so readily, her inquisitiveness temporarily inactivated at the situation.

"What happened?" A small whisper from the back.

"We're safe. For now. We need to get both you and Keith out of the country as soon as possible."

She studies him from her vantage point. There is a nasty cut under his left eye and on his lip. His jaw looks bruised and Veronica can only wonder what pain he must be in.

But then his words start to recall back her brain functions.

"Keith? As in my dad? Why?"

"Anyone connected to me right now had better disappear, or they will make them disappear."

Veronica swallows the tears and grief that are starting to well up inside of her. Unable or unwilling to handle the situation, she decides to take the easy way out and succumb to the sleep that her body desperately needs.

He stops outside of her apartment complex and is about to announce that they have arrived, but hesitates when he sees her sleeping form on the backseat. He gets out of the driver's side and opens her door. He pauses and studies her for a moment. He has always marvelled at how innocent people look in their sleep. The peace and calm that washes over one's expression as if they have been transported into a world where the burdens and cares of this life are completely swept away. He watches Veronica sleeping peacefully and is loathe to wake her up and take her away from that place. But he must do what needs to be done.

Shaking her shoulder gently, James wakes up his daughter.

"Veronica, you're home."

She opens her eyes abruptly and sits up gingerly. Her eyes are red, either from tiredness or tears, James is willing to bet on a good dose of both. He helps her out of the car, and for once, Veronica is grateful that James is here with her.

They slowly make their way up to her apartment, supporting each other up the stairs. Veronica, glad to see something familiar, is about to cry with relief before her insides are drenched with coldness. The door to her home was open.

_No, no, that's not our place. Please don't let it be our place. Please._

But it was her home - a deathly truth in the back of Veronica's mind, weighing her down. She pulls out of James' arm and runs through the door.

"Veronica!" James warns.

She doesn't care as she runs into her living room to find it empty and completely trashed. She looks around quickly. Magazines and papers are strewn around the place, the couch is at least five feet from where it should be, the lamps is smashed and the coffee table is blocking the corridor to the bedrooms.

"Dad?" she yells. "Dad, where are you?"

She runs into the bathroom and collapses at what she sees there. Her father is lying dead on the floor with a bullet wound to his head. Veronica tries to scream but is left breathless with terror. She kneels over to him and touches his lifeless body.

_This is wrong. This is so wrong._

Veronica finds it difficult to breathe properly. She sits back onto her heels but can't take in the situation and turns away abruptly, at a complete loss of what to do.

Her world is gone. Everything that she has known and loved is over.

James walks in and coolly notes the dead man on the ground before silently taking Veronica into his arms.

For the second time that night, Veronica is glad that James is here.

Dang, I don't like this as much as the last one. This is a lot more plot-driven than character driven – something I really hate. I am so willing to take into account any constructive criticisms for a re-write of this that I will most definitely do.

Are the characterizations here right though? Is Bond scary enough? I always considered him to be more of a scary mofo than a charming womanizer. More like a mix between Tony Soprano and Al Swearengen – someone who is very capable of offing you if you piss them off enough. What about Veronica? I find her the hardest to write, because so much of the character is dependent of KB's awesome acting that only so much can be described in writing.

**Author Thanks – **

**Vartan-LoVer** – Nice name! Haha. I love Alias, although it kinda went a bit downhill after S2. Thanks for reading and reviewing! It's odd because I based this Bond obviously on Craig's portrayal of the role. Haha, it seems that hair colour isn't that much of an issue to me as it is to you!

**Motylik** – Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm surprised it hasn't been done before, although I guess not a lot of people want to screw with the awesome relationship between Keith and Veronica, which is ion my opinion, one of the best Father-Daughter relationships on TV (although Keith does give Veronica a bit too much leniency to be deemed realistic!).

**Dontyousassmemeister828 – **Hilarious name! These two are some of the hardest characters to get into so thanks for saying that it fits well with their attitudes.

**Kira** – I have a friend named Kira who watches Veronica Mars – is it you?! Are you my friend in real life?! Because if it is, haha, you read fanfic! And I'm sort of embarrassed now…

**Emma **– Oh don't cry! Here – sequel!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: 'Welcome Wagon' has just premiered over here in Australia and I would just like to formally announce my new-found love for the adorable Piz. Although, seeing how this is _Veronica Mars_ and not _The O.C._ I'm just waiting for them to reveal that he is the Hearst rapist, or an evil mass murderer or something. Oh, poor, sweet Piz.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"You're up early."

In the kitchen, Veronica is startled to hear her father's sleepy voice so soon.

"Yes, school beckons and I answer its call, eagerly anticipating the gloriousness that is learning for the day."

Keith makes a face at Veronica.

She shrugs and looks back at him,

"What? I get up at this time every weekday!"

"Usually I have to fake a fire drill to get you out of bed at this hour."

"It's half past six." She cannot fathom why they are having this conversation. Veronica isn't what you'd call a 'morning person' and so this conversation with her dad is beginning to get on her nerves.

"Did you even sleep?" Keith's voice is laced with a faint trace of suspicion as he pours himself some coffee.

Veronica sighs and hates that he has just asked her that. What does it matter? Would it have mattered to him three months before? No. But she understands that a lot has changed in those months and is afraid that things will never be the same between them ever again. She fears that she may have lost the one stable relationship in her life – that of her father's.

"Veronica, I don't like that you're spending so much time looking up information on your biological mother. I want you to forget this and move on."

Not one to show her emotions straight away, Veronica sighs and steadies herself, while her insides are in utter turmoil.

_Move on? Does he even know me?_

Instead, she smiles and kisses her dad on the cheek before putting her cereal bowl in the sink.

"I can't dad, you know this and you know that I have to see this through. Otherwise, I will go insane just thinking about it."

"Veronica" he says in a pained voice.

"No dad," she says in a quiet voice, walking away. "If you weren't truthful about it in the first place, then I guess I'll just have to find out for myself. It's the only source of information I trust these days," she adds bitterly before going into her room and leaving a hurt Keith behind.

The words sting Keith just as much as Veronica thinks they would. He sighs in frustration, hating what has happened in the past few months. What happened to the trust between the two of them? What had made Veronica decide that it was acceptable to play Keith in the whole Duncan incident and furthermore, to get away with it? _But then again, _a voice argues in Keith's mind, _what exactly made it okay for me to lie to Veronica for her entire life?_

Veronica feels discomfited at what she has just said to her father. It came out, undoubtedly, harsher than she'd liked, but the anger coursing through her veins prevents her from feeling too much remorse.

_Where is this going to Veronica?_

Veronica leaves for school and is almost at the door when Keith tells her to "Have a nice day at school honey."

She walks out without answering him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Veronica wakes up crying. This was the last time Veronica saw her father alive that morning. And the merciless Sandman has just let her relive it in all its painful and gory detail.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The funeral was small and quickly organised. The Neptune community at large was made aware of Keith Mars' death long after his daughter had left the country. Veronica finished the remaining few weeks of her senior year a month later than everyone else, given her special circumstances, through correspondence in London. The day she received her graduation certificate in the post, was the day she left the London apartment she was staying in with James. What she didn't leave, however, was a note.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Flight FG108 to Rome is boarding at Gate 79…"

The mechanical female voice sounds across the PA system of Heathrow Airport as Veronica waits for her flight to Sydney, Australia. She has only a small suitcase and a carry on bag with her, not wanting to burden herself with too much as she travels halfway across the world.

_And what can't I possibly buy with a giant bank account in my name anyways?_

She reasons to herself. But she knows the darker answer to this light-hearted question and is unwilling to face it, knowing that if she does, she just might not come back properly from it.

The events that occurred right after her father's death seemed surreal and even now, as Veronica painfully looks back on it, she still can't seem to grasp that they actually happened. It was as if she were remembering the plot of some old film noir, only half-watched on a late night. The details sweep past her numb memory. The long and untraceable email she sent to Wallace; the sitting of her final exams, alone in a cold and clinical room; the chilly distance between her and James, someone who had guided her through this time and had offered to help her, despite him being the least inclined to do so. Somewhere deep inside of her, Veronica knows that she should be feeling grateful, but that emotion is quickly surpassed with anger towards the one person who was responsible for her father's death – James.

Luckily, during her stay at his London apartment, he was often away at his 'work', but when he did come back for those few days, the situation had been silent and awkward. He was cold and uncaring and she was angry. Not depressed, no just angry. But she wasn't exactly sure at who or what exactly. A good portion of that was directed at James, but unlike Lily's death, there was no one to hunt down, no one to have revenge on this time. No, this was just pure and unadulterated anger at the way life had treated her.

_Seems like I should start wearing black and listen to self-hating, poorly dressed bands who write about their depression and yet earn millions._

James had offered her professional counselling, and Veronica went, knowing that she could deal with these shrinks. She'd done so before in the past.

_The life of Veronica Mars – just one upturn after the other._

Veronica pulls back from her thoughts and surveys her surroundings. This was the first time she had even been out of the States, and were the situation different, she would have rejoiced in exploring what London had to offer. Instead, she stuck with what was familiar.

And now she is going to search for someone that was familiar to her.

A/N: You know, the first chapter was purely written designed to be a one-shot dealie. I find that with all the crap that has happened to Veronica, she doesn't dwell on it for very long. She moves on and kicks ass solving cases and stuff, leaving very little room for long self analysis and contemplation. And I find that I can only do long self analyses and contemplation and less on the detective stuff. HELP!

**Author Thanks Go To -**

Emma - Yeah, killed Keith. I'm in the same boat as you because I want to know what happens next. I have no idea! Eee!

MackeyPac - Logan is really not in the picture. You see, I set this up right after Duncan left and at that time, Veronica and Logan weren't this "Epic Couple To Last Through The Ages." And while I'm totally on the LoVe Boat, Duncan is Veronica's big love in this fic.

Alice - Thanks for reading and reviewing!

motylik - Thanks for the continued reading! I think it's a great compliment that what you're picturing what it'd be like on the show what you're reading. That's way cool. I'll definitely take on your suggestion thanks!

arianna - Good point that Veronica not be glad at James' presence at that time. I think glad is the wrong word. I was trying to convey that she is, I don't know, grateful that there is somebody there with her after her father's death. Kinda like how she just fell into Logan's arms without any hesitation after Beaver jumped off the building and she thought she lost her dad. You'll just have to wait and see if any other characters will make an appearance!

Lady Marauder - thanks for reviewing and keep reading! Tell your friends about it! Haha.

Vartan-LoVer - Yeah, Keith had to go. It was time. I tried to address the Wallace issue in this chapter.

xosummerxo - Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Lali - Yeah, I killed Keith! Oh, you should so rent out Casino Royale. It's really good. I didn't like PB as Bond, but YMMV and that's cool.

mssexxymixx - Hmm, would Veronica and James even WANT to rekindle (what little of it there is) their relationship anyway? They both, to me, seem like two very 'eff off and die if I don't like you' sort of people. One of the hard things about writing this fic is making the implausible seem even remotely plausible.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I just want to say that I am not a fan of Veronica/Duncan or even Duncan the character. That is all.**

She waits at a trendy café in the city and watches the busy people getting along with their lives.

_Those poor corporate yuppies with their coffee from Starbucks and nine-to-five hours. Oh how I envy their lives of normalcy._

Normal is the watchword indeed.

She sits there, and looks at her watch, Clearly she is waiting for someone. She stays for ten minutes longer. Fifteen. Twenty. At half an hour, she sighs impatiently and stands to leave after paying for her double espresso. Just as she begins to gather her belongings, a man in his early thirties approaches her.

"Veronica Mars?" a voice drawls out behind her.

She whips her head around and studies a short, rather nondescript individual in business attire, looking no different to the other workers in the city.

"That I am." She offers him a tight smile before sizing him up. He is not much taller than her, but his size is made rather trivial by the confidence he carries that Veronica finds somewhat sleazy.

He smiles and Veronica instantly takes a disliking to him after he looks her up and down. She is glad that today she chose to ignore the hot Australian weather and went with her usual shirt, jeans and jacket.

"So very nice to meet you." He offers his hand to shake which Veronica accepts.

"You have something for me?" she asks guardedly as they both sit down at her table. She already doesn't trust him and is unsure whether he is a plant.

"You get right to the point. I like that."

He is rewarded with a humourless stare.

He clears his throat and Veronica almost sneers inwardly at how easy it was to unsettle him.

"I have a letter here from Mr. Kane. He told me to meet a young blonde woman here named Veronica, and so here you are. I must say that I am rather impressed at how you found me. I thought I had hidden Mr. Kane and my working relationship pretty well."

_Although obviously not good enough you moron._

"Is this all?" she asks brusquely, taking the letter from him and placing it into her bag.

"Well seeing as I have a free lunch hour, I was hoping to get something to eat as well as to know how exactly you are associated with my client."

_Why don't you just ask me straight out? Are you his dirty mistress with a secret love-child locked away somewhere?_

"If Duncan hasn't told you that himself. I don't think I'm in a position to divulge any information myself."

_This guy is way too persistent. Lucky I've done my homework on this Mr Weathers and brought backup. No, not my dog. This backup takes another form, but is just as effective._

"I don't believe that that's an issue here Veronica. And in any case I now know what you look like and given the secrecy of this meeting –"

"Secrecy? There are nearly fifty people here alone in this café. Fifty people equals fifty witnesses. And that's not even mentioning the three security cameras in the place. If this were to be a 'secret meeting' I sure as hell wouldn't have planned it being taken place in such a public place as this."

Her tone is curt and she never breaks eye contact with him. It is rather unlike Veronica, to be so blunt and straightforward, but after weeks of investigation, most of which proved to be fruitless save this one lead, she is tired, frustrated and lonely. A lethal combination in an already irate individual.

She has had enough of this conversation already. She gets up to leave once more.

He places his hand around her arm, stopping her from going any further past his chair.

"Veronica. I must warn you. I have done my research and know a little about Duncan's past in Neptune. I also know that his girlfriend was heavily involved in a case concerning the kidnap of a baby - a very serious crime that could land that certain girlfriend into a lot of trouble if the authorities were made aware of this conversation."

She freezes as he whispers this to her in a tone which can be best described as 'menacing.' Veronica waits until he has finished his 'threat.'

"True but of little consequence. I'd be careful too Mr Weathers, unless you want your darling wife to know about that little brunette anorexic you've been seeing on the side."

She drops a folder in front of him and walks away.

_Oh yes, I've done my research too. God it pays to have insurance in these times._

………………..

Once she is a fair distance away, Veronica takes out the letter and scans it quickly. There is a single address.

……………..

Veronica takes the most circuitous route she can to the coastal town four hours from the city. She thanks the deeply instilled sense of suspicion within her, which brings back a sharp and painful memory of her dad. She chokes a little at this sudden and small reminder, but sets her jaw against the emotion. She looks out at the sweeping east coast Australian landscape and is amazed at how far she has come from Neptune in such a small space of time.

She misses home.

………………

She finds the quiet street easily enough. It seems to be part of a rather laid back community, heavily associated with the beach. A surfboard or some other beach paraphernalia litters every driveway and Veronica finds this rather quaint. She gets to number 16. The house is rather shabby and therefore, exactly the same as every other house she has passed in the last hour. Perfect. She steels herself and walks up the few steps to the porch.

She has no idea what to expect.

She opens the flyscreen door to knock on the door proper.

The door opens and Duncan is there with Lilly in his arms. His face breaks into a genuine smile at the sight of her. Veronica's face crumbles with a radiant smile as she leaps into his arms.

**I need help. Where can I possibly go next with this? **

** Author Thanks - **

motylik - Yeah **I'd** like to know where I'm going with this too!

arianna -No I'm pretty sure James comes back into the story at some point. I mean, that was what i set out to do, to somehow have these two characters interact. The details for that are just a bit hazy at the moment! Hmm, I think The chapter of Veronica's life in Neptune is indeed over.

Alex - Do you really see Logan and Wallace being part of the story? If so, how? I'm not being mean or anything here, just kinda stuck for ideas!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Still don't like Duncan. In fact, after watching a few episodes of S1 again, I'll have to extend my dislike for the actor himself. He just plain sucks, really.**

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"Come in."

Veronica walks into the house, or bungalow, which is a much better word for this dwelling. She takes in the cheap, second hand furniture and marvels at how different this is to the Kane mansion back in Neptune. But the strange thing is, is that Duncan fits his new surroundings much better than he ever did back in those pretentious ones of Neptune's.

He stands back, watching her. He has been expecting her ever since his weasel of an attorney rang him for the details of the meeting. Weathers is reliable, if not a bit greasy. But he is something Duncan could easily handle.

"How are you?" She asks, turning back from inspecting his place, her hands deep in her pockets and giving him a smile.

He beams back at her, and Veronica gets her answer. His spoken reply is redundant.

"The happiest I've ever been in my life. Lilly is happy and healthy and I have all the time to surf nowadays!"

"And who exactly looks after your daughter while you're hanging ten?"

He raises his eyebrow at her rather dated phrase.

"Cowabunga dude?" She tries back lamely.

He laughs, while Lilly in his arms gurgles happily, drawing Veronica's attention towards her.

"She's beautiful" she says, walking closer.

"Do you want to-?" he asks, indicating to her to hold the baby.

At first Veronica hastily retreats, but looking into the adorable and expectant eyes of baby Lilly, she soon gives in. Much like she did to her aunt and namesake on so many occasions on all sorts of stupid things.

"Wow," she breathes, watching this small life form in her arms.

"Veronica. I'm so sorry about your father."

_Why must he ruin such a good moment like this?  
_

"It's fine," she shrugs off passively. But realising her brusqueness at the long silence that follows, she amends with "Thank you. I know you are."

Duncan, never one to express his emotions well, merely nods and goes to grab Lilly's bottle.

_Well aren't you just the sweetest thing ever?_

…………………

It is evening and Duncan, Veronica and Lilly sit outside on the porch watching the glorious sunset.

"I could get dinner ready." Duncan breaks the peacefulness with an air of domestic practicality.

"What do you have in mind?" Her voice is sleep laden as she lays her head on his shoulder.

He can't even comprehend what it took for her to find him. He knows that she is brilliant and excels at this private detective stuff, but he_ had_ learnt a few tricks from her and had thought he had hidden himself pretty well. Well enough to escape the FBI's notice at least.

"How does mac and cheese sound?"

"The orange powder variety?"

"Hope you don't mind. The room service here is terrible compared to the one at the Neptune Grand."

She laughs softly at this. It feels like it is the first time in years that she has laughed. The muscles in her face equipped for such an activity feels stiff with disuse at least.

"I like the orange powder variety."

He smiles softly and places a kiss on her forehead before handing Lilly over to her and walking back into the house/bungalow.

Veronica looks down at Lilly in her arms. She is currently sleeping and Veronica can only wonder what life holds in store for her. She looks out at the darkening sky and wonders the same thing about herself.

_So many possibilities and opportunities. What to do indeed?_

……………

Duncan lights a small, spluttering gas lamp and hangs it from the porch, lighting their scanty meal. They both balance their plastic bowls on their laps, sitting side by side on that same, old wooden seat they had whiled the hours away before. Lilly is safely inside her cot in her room, away from the chill sea breeze that blows in at night.

Both Veronica and Duncan eat in a companionable silence. Duncan watches her carefully. He notices the hardness and grief in her eyes, so desperate to betray nothing. But he knows her better than that. What others mistake as an angry determination, Duncan sees a weary and lost young woman.

She is overjoyed to see him in such great spirits, living the life that he wants. But somewhere beneath her happiness, she feels like she is intruding on a perfect fairytale. She had been desperate to see him these past few weeks, but now that she has, she is unsure of what to do. As soon as she saw him with Lilly, Veronica felt a sudden urge to get back to life. Because what was here wasn't a reality. It was a haven. A haven that she had no right to disrupt. She forces the mac and cheese down a throat that has closed up.

"You're not going to stay here for very long are you?"

She turns around and looks fully at Duncan. Somehow, it seems as if he has read her mind. He fails to meet her eyes and busies himself with putting his bowl down, before taking her hands in his.

"This isn't where you should be Veronica. There are still things that you need to do. You can only run so far. You're not the one who runs from her problems. You stay and grit it out, no matter what it costs to you."

It pains her to realise that Duncan is right. That Duncan, of all people, is the one who is advising her on what to do in her time of need.

"Why did you seek me out?"

_Funny, isn't that what I asked James when we had dinner that night?_

"Well I figured since we're both sorta on the run, it'd be a perfect opportunity to do a movie-of-the-week fugitive reunion thing."

He closes his eyes in amusement for a second before fixing Veronica with a Very Serious Look.

"I needed to see you again Duncan. Everything in my life is gone. My dad, and as much as I'd hate to say it, my life in Neptune. It was the only life I knew and to have left that … I don't know. I just needed to see you."

He looks into her eyes before pulling her in for a kiss that lasts the entire night.

A/N: THAT was the most pointless chapter I have ever written. Gah! I had hoped that by the end of it, it would go somewhere, but this kind of seems like a short calm before the storm. A moment for Veronica to regain her bearings before she spoiler! goes back to London and kicks ass doing some detective stuff.

A/N2: Thanks to all my lovely reviewers who have given me TONS of ideas as to how to incorporate some of our other favourite Neptune characters. Especially Logan. Man, you guys LOVE Logan! Um, I am unsure as to whether I WILL even bring back any of them because, right now, I feel as if Veronica's life in Neptune is irrevocably over. But with that said, I just may change my mind in the future!

**Thanks to - **

**motylik - **Haha, I LOVE Vinnie! He's so pathetic/useless/sleazy. Hmm, I think James would understand Veronica leaving so suddenly, and it's not like they were that close anyways. James is kinda cold like that and I think it's going to take A LOT for James to really start caring for Veronica. I mean, he does, in his own way, deep down. But there's still a way to go.

**Raincoat Sammy - **Aww, thanks for saying that you think this is well-written. That really means a lot to me. :) Thanks for the review and for saying (writing?) that the idea of Veronica being Bond's daughter being a good one, because I was afraid that it was just too, I dunno, weird.

**  
**


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